1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates to the field of software encryption and more particularly to a system and method of determining software encryption levels based on geographical location.
2. History of Related Art
Encryption of software is used in a variety of applications in which data or other information is transmitted over or stored on an un-secure medium such as, for example, the internet. In many nations, the encryption of software is subject to governmental regulation. Software for use in the U.S. and Canada, for example, may utilize 128-bit encryption while French authorities prohibit software encryption levels in excess of 40 bits. As a result of varying governmental regulations, software manufacturers are frequently required to manufacture and sell at least three versions of encrypted software to meet the restrictions of U.S., French, and European encryption regulations. Maintaining and mass producing three or more versions of every application program that utilizes encryption presents a highly undesirable administrative and manufacturing burden on software manufacturers. Therefore, it is highly desirable to implement a mechanism by which a single piece of software can be distributed in any geographic region regardless of the region's encryption regulations.